Myers makes it all the way to the Show

Published: Wednesday, June 19, 2013 at 12:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, June 18, 2013 at 10:52 p.m.

It's official now. Wil Myers is in the Show. And that's Thomasville's Wil Myers. Let that sink in and watch the history as it unfolds from day to day.

Myers, the centerpiece in a major trade for the Tampa Bay Rays with the Kansas City Royals, got the word on Sunday when he was taken out in the third inning of the Durham Bulls' game with Indianapolis. He was no longer a Bull but rather a Ray.

The Rays had said all along that Myers would be called up and put in the starting lineup. It wouldn't make any sense to bring him up to sit the bench. And so Myers started in right field Tuesday in the first game of a day-night doubleheader at Fenway Park against the Boston Red Sox. He went 0-for-4 in the first game but in his first at-bat of the second game, Myers got his first major league hit, a single to left in the top of the second inning off Boston's Felix Doubront. It'll be the first of many.

Myers is making history by being the area's first big league baseball player since former West Davidson standout Sean Whiteside made two appearances on the mound for the Detroit Tigers in 1995.

It's safe to say that Myers will now be even more of a household name for those who follow baseball in Davidson County.

Unlike former prep stars Levi Michael, Landon Lassiter and Chaz Frank, Myers hasn't had as much exposure to county baseball fans because he went to school at Wesleyan Christian Academy, a private school baseball powerhouse in High Point. North Davidson plays the Trojans on a regular basis.

In the strictest sense, Myers actually isn't even from Davidson County. The Myers family home is on Oak Bucket Road, just into Randolph County. Myers would have gone to high school at Trinity. But his hometown is Thomasville and a portion of the Chair City lies within Randolph County.

Myers' parents' Eric and Pam graduated from Thomasville High School. Woody Huneycutt, soon to be retired as Thomasville High athletic director, recalled coaching Pam Myers in softball and JV basketball. Dale Moser, coach of the Davidson County Warriors, remembered being in high school with them. So he's a definitely a local guy.

Myers is only 22 and his career in the minor leagues was on the fast track since the Royals drafted him in the third round in 2009. He was going to be in the Royals' outfield for years to come. But when the Royals acquired pitchers James Shields and Wade Davis, they had to give up some value in return. Myers was the biggest part of the deal to head east.

After hitting a combined 37 home runs in Double-A and Triple-A last season, Myers got off to a slow start with the Bulls. But then he got locked in and was hitting .286 with 14 homers and 57 RBIs in 64 games when he got called up. It has widely been speculated that the budget-conscious Rays were keeping Myers in the minors long enough so he could not attain Super 2 status. The latest MLB collective bargaining agreement calls for 22 percent of players with between two and three years major league service time to attain Super 2 status. In other words, they can start making the big bucks a year earlier. More than anything, though, the Rays felt like they needed Myers in the lineup now.

Perhaps at some point down the road if Myers blossoms into an All-Star as expected, former North Davidson pitcher Joe Tippett can look back on April 16, 2009 with pride. The Knights lost 6-2 to Myers and Wesleyan on that day but Tippett pitched five-plus innings of scoreless relief. The first time he faced Myers, the Wesleyan superstar flied out to center. Tippett can remind friends and family about how he got Myers out.

There will probably end up being plenty of major league pitchers who will have trouble getting Myers out.

Mike Duprez can be reached at 249-3981, ext. 218 or mike.duprez@the-dispatch.com.

<p>It's official now. Wil Myers is in the Show. And that's Thomasville's Wil Myers. Let that sink in and watch the history as it unfolds from day to day.</p><p>Myers, the centerpiece in a major trade for the Tampa Bay Rays with the Kansas City Royals, got the word on Sunday when he was taken out in the third inning of the Durham Bulls' game with Indianapolis. He was no longer a Bull but rather a Ray.</p><p>The Rays had said all along that Myers would be called up and put in the starting lineup. It wouldn't make any sense to bring him up to sit the bench. And so Myers started in right field Tuesday in the first game of a day-night doubleheader at Fenway Park against the Boston Red Sox. He went 0-for-4 in the first game but in his first at-bat of the second game, Myers got his first major league hit, a single to left in the top of the second inning off Boston's Felix Doubront. It'll be the first of many.</p><p>Myers is making history by being the area's first big league baseball player since former West Davidson standout Sean Whiteside made two appearances on the mound for the Detroit Tigers in 1995.</p><p>It's safe to say that Myers will now be even more of a household name for those who follow baseball in Davidson County.</p><p>Unlike former prep stars Levi Michael, Landon Lassiter and Chaz Frank, Myers hasn't had as much exposure to county baseball fans because he went to school at Wesleyan Christian Academy, a private school baseball powerhouse in High Point. North Davidson plays the Trojans on a regular basis.</p><p>In the strictest sense, Myers actually isn't even from Davidson County. The Myers family home is on Oak Bucket Road, just into Randolph County. Myers would have gone to high school at Trinity. But his hometown is Thomasville and a portion of the Chair City lies within Randolph County. </p><p>Myers' parents' Eric and Pam graduated from Thomasville High School. Woody Huneycutt, soon to be retired as Thomasville High athletic director, recalled coaching Pam Myers in softball and JV basketball. Dale Moser, coach of the Davidson County Warriors, remembered being in high school with them. So he's a definitely a local guy.</p><p>Myers is only 22 and his career in the minor leagues was on the fast track since the Royals drafted him in the third round in 2009. He was going to be in the Royals' outfield for years to come. But when the Royals acquired pitchers James Shields and Wade Davis, they had to give up some value in return. Myers was the biggest part of the deal to head east.</p><p>After hitting a combined 37 home runs in Double-A and Triple-A last season, Myers got off to a slow start with the Bulls. But then he got locked in and was hitting .286 with 14 homers and 57 RBIs in 64 games when he got called up. It has widely been speculated that the budget-conscious Rays were keeping Myers in the minors long enough so he could not attain Super 2 status. The latest MLB collective bargaining agreement calls for 22 percent of players with between two and three years major league service time to attain Super 2 status. In other words, they can start making the big bucks a year earlier. More than anything, though, the Rays felt like they needed Myers in the lineup now.</p><p>Perhaps at some point down the road if Myers blossoms into an All-Star as expected, former North Davidson pitcher Joe Tippett can look back on April 16, 2009 with pride. The Knights lost 6-2 to Myers and Wesleyan on that day but Tippett pitched five-plus innings of scoreless relief. The first time he faced Myers, the Wesleyan superstar flied out to center. Tippett can remind friends and family about how he got Myers out.</p><p>There will probably end up being plenty of major league pitchers who will have trouble getting Myers out.</p><p>Mike Duprez can be reached at 249-3981, ext. 218 or mike.duprez@the-dispatch.com.</p>